Microsoft: Xbox One still requires Kinect, game installs still mandatory
Well that was quite an almighty turnaround last night, wasn't it? The internet has spoken, and Microsoft has listened, and it seems like now we're all a little torn as to whether we've won a great victory or taken a step backwards in the race to the next generation. However you feel about last night's DRM policy change, there are a few caveats. Xbox corporate vice-president Marc Whitten has confirmed that you'll still need to install your games, and you'll still need to keep your Kinect plugged in. "We still believe Kinect is a really critical part of the architecture," he said, speaking to IGN. "We think it changes the way you can interact with your experiences, being able to control the box with your voice or with gestures, being able to do Skype. And we want game and interactive entertainment creators to be able to know they can take advantage of it, and we want it to be completely consistent for our users. So we still are very committed to how Kinect transforms that experience."
Whitten went on to confirm that many of Xbox One's functions are still in place, such as seamless swapping between apps and games - although you'll have to change discs to switch between games you've purchased at retail. "As part of making the changes to allow you to use physical discs the way that you do today, what's going to happen is your online games and your physical games will work like they do today.
"That does mean that features like Family Sharing won't be there. Another example that we think is awesome is that when you move to any Xbox One, the ability to see all of your games in your Games Library. While you'll clearly only see the ones that you downloaded online, you'd have to bring your physical discs for the other ones."
Whitten was also keen to state that the changes in policy do not and will not affect Microsoft's long term online strategies. "We believe that most people, frankly, are going to continue to take advantage of the connected state and all that comes with it," he said, "and that frankly it will be experiences like TitanFall taking unique advantage of the cloud, or Forza and drivatars that people are going to love and they're going to use.
"And to take advantage of those features you'll clearly have to be connected and online, just as if you were streaming video or playing multiplayer or any of the other things that require online. But that's up to the game experience and sort of how they use those features."
So how do you feel about the changes now that all becomes clear? Is it the best of both worlds? Is it a step backwards in terms of innovation? Or is it a welcome return to the status quo? Personally I think it's a little disheartening to see more support for the Xbox One's original policies now than before the great One eighty. GameStop have applauded the move, however, just as they run out of in-store preorders for the console's Day One Editions.
Source: Rheena.com
Reply With Quote
Re: Microsoft: Xbox One still requires Kinect, game installs still mandatory
Originally Posted by Goldberg
may even flog mine soon to buy a new one to avoid the hassle.
Social Networking Bookmarks